1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a process for treating the skins of pigs, cattle, horses, goats, and other animals, so that they can be used in the manufacture of unlined finished leather articles.
2. Discussion of Background Art
It is common in the manufacture of finished leather articles to utilize skins treated only on their hair side so as to confer a "full flower", "rectified full flower", or "Nubuck" appearance, the flesh side of the skins being generally coated with a resin layer so as to have a lined appearance, or, during the manufacture of such articles, being coated with a leather lining which necessitates additional operations, such as cutting of the lining and gluing of the lining, on the flesh side of the skin, which result in higher manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the hair side of the skins generally has defects therein due to sticking by insects, barbs, or thorns, or the hair side is separated from the dermis, rendering the damaged portions inappropriate for commercial use, or if such defects are not too apparent and numerous, they at least limit the use of such skins to linings or treated skins of secondary quality.
To eliminate the use of linings, in certain articles, the flesh side, of the skins are treated in a manner so as to give the skins a velvety appearance. Generally, the raw materials treated according to this process are calf, cattle or lamb skins.
In order to limit the volume of losses during the manufacture of clothing articles, such as shoes or the like, animal skins such as calf, cattle, sheep, goat or the like are generally employed. These skins are likely to have fewer defects than other skins, such as the skin of pigs, which are only rarely employed on their hair side, and almost always used with a lining by virtue of the numerous defects present on their hair side.